Glutathione-sensitive and folate-targeted nanoparticles loaded with paclitaxel to enhance oral squamous cell carcinoma therapy
Lei Fan, Jianquan Wang, Chengwan Xia, Qian Zhang, Yumei Pu, Liang Chen, Jianfang Chen, Yuxin Wang
Abstract
In this study, a drug delivery system based on glutathione (GSH)-sensitive and folic acid (FA)-targeted nanoparticles loaded with paclitaxel (FA-PEG-S-S-PCL@PTX, FA-NPs) was developed. First, we proved that the FA receptor was significantly expressed in 95 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) specimens (57.9%). This provided feasibility to release FA-targeted nanoparticles in tumour sites for patients with OSCC. Next, FA-NPs were synthesized and characterized. In vitro, we found enhancement in FA-mediated endocytosis in the HSC3 cells with FA overexpression. Therefore, paclitaxel (PTX) from FA-NPs could be precisely released due to the disulfide bonds that were cleaved by a redox reaction. In vivo, FA-NPs could be accumulated in mice bearing HSC3 cells, where they exhibited effective antitumor effects when compared to the treatments with free PTX and PEG-S-S-PCL@PTX. In summary, this novel drug system has an opportunity to improve OSCC treatment.